Science
Latest science news, refreshed every 30 minutes.
Marty Makary, Trump’s F.D.A. Commissioner, Resigns After Weeks of Pressure
The agency’s top food official will step in to the role after Dr. Makary privately said he opposed the administration decision to approve flavored vapes.
NYT > Science · about 2 hours ago
How an ‘Impossible’ Idea Led to a Pancreatic Cancer Breakthrough
The new strategy also holds promise for lung and colon tumors. Here’s how scientists discovered it.
NYT > Science · about 6 hours ago
Scientists reversed biological age in older adults with a 4-week diet change
A four-week diet change was enough to make some older adults appear biologically younger in a new University of Sydney study. Participants who reduced fat intake or shifted toward more plant-based protein showed improvements in key health biomarkers tied to aging. The strongest results came from a lower-fat, higher-carb diet, while people eating closer to their usual diets saw almost no change.
Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily · about 8 hours ago
Scientists discover hidden fat-burning switch that could strengthen bones
Scientists at McGill University have uncovered a hidden molecular “switch” that turns on a powerful calorie-burning system in brown fat — the body’s heat-generating fat linked to metabolism and weight control. The breakthrough centers on glycerol, a molecule released when fat is broken down in the cold, which activates an enzyme called TNAP and triggers an alternative heat-producing pathway that scientists had struggled to explain for years.
Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily · about 8 hours ago
Scientists say this algae could remove microplastics from drinking water
Researchers created a special kind of algae that can grab microscopic plastic pollution out of water almost like a magnet. The algae produce limonene, an orange-scented oil that helps them bind to water-repelling microplastics, forming easy-to-remove clumps. As a bonus, the algae also clean wastewater while growing.
Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily · about 9 hours ago
This strange giant dinosaur may change what we know about Jurassic titans
A bizarre new giant dinosaur discovered in Argentina is giving paleontologists a fresh look at how Jurassic titans evolved in the Southern Hemisphere. Bicharracosaurus dionidei stretched about 20 meters long and carried a strange mix of features seen in both Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus relatives. Scientists believe it could represent the first known Jurassic brachiosaurid from South America, helping fill a major gap in the dinosaur fossil record.
Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily · about 11 hours ago
A Taxidermist Gives Dead Animals a New Life
The creation, care and keeping of creatures is a responsibility the last full-time museum taxidermist in the U.S. takes both seriously and joyfully.
NYT > Science · about 11 hours ago
Stunning fossil discovery challenges the origins of animal life
Scientists revisiting mysterious 540-million-year-old microfossils from Brazil have overturned a major idea about early animal life. What were once thought to be trails left behind by tiny worm-like creatures are now believed to be fossilized communities of bacteria and algae — some with remarkably preserved cells and organic material still intact.
Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily · about 13 hours ago
Scientists discover hidden chemical signature that could reveal alien life
Scientists may have found a powerful new way to hunt for alien life — not by searching for specific molecules, but by looking for hidden patterns in how those molecules are organized. Researchers discovered that living systems leave behind a kind of chemical “fingerprint” in the statistical distribution of amino acids and fatty acids, one that consistently differs from nonliving chemistry.
Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily · about 15 hours ago
NASA’s Hubble reveals a giant chaotic planet nursery unlike anything seen before
Hubble has revealed a giant planet-forming disk unlike anything astronomers have seen before. Nicknamed “Dracula’s Chivito,” the enormous structure appears turbulent and oddly lopsided, with towering filaments visible on only one side. The disk contains enough material to potentially create multiple giant planets, making it a fascinating new laboratory for studying how planetary systems are born.
Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily · about 16 hours ago
James Webb telescope reveals the clearest map ever of the Universe’s cosmic web
Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have created the clearest map yet of the universe’s “cosmic web” — the enormous hidden structure that connects galaxies across space. By analyzing more than 164,000 galaxies through the massive COSMOS-Web survey, researchers were able to trace this vast network back to when the universe was just a billion years old.
Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily · about 16 hours ago
A Fish That Hitches Rides Where the Sun Doesn’t Shine
The remora often latches on to the exteriors of larger marine creatures. But sometimes it travels in a more intrusive spot: inside a manta ray’s backside.
NYT > Science · 1 day ago
Scientists say this common sweetener may be quietly rewiring your metabolism
Researchers say fructose is not just “empty calories” — it may actively push the body toward fat storage and metabolic disease. A new review found that fructose affects the body differently from glucose, disrupting normal energy regulation and promoting processes linked to obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular problems.
Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily · 1 day ago
Scientists Press Congress on Dismissal of National Science Foundation Board and Research Funding
The slowed pace of grants by the National Science Foundation, under attack from the White House, could put the United States at a disadvantage with China, the scientists warned.
NYT > Science · 1 day ago
This 800-year-old Chinese exercise helps lower blood pressure naturally
An ancient Chinese exercise routine may be just as powerful as a daily brisk walk for lowering blood pressure — without equipment, gyms, or intense workouts. In a major clinical trial, adults with stage 1 hypertension who practiced baduanjin, a gentle mind-body exercise combining slow movements, breathing, and meditation, saw meaningful drops in blood pressure within three months that lasted for an entire year.
Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily · 1 day ago
U.S.-China Rivalry Reaches South American Skies
The U.S. has pressed Argentina and Chile to review two Chinese telescope projects in the Andean deserts. Astronomers are worried about setbacks to research.
NYT > Science · 2 days ago
David Attenborough, a Voice of Nature, Turns 100
Pictures and striking scenes from the making of perhaps the world’s most celebrated naturalist.
NYT > Science · 4 days ago
There Are Ants in This Canadian Hospital. Again.
A hospital in Manitoba had to postpone a “limited number of elective surgeries” after ants appeared there for the third time since 2024.
NYT > Science · 4 days ago
She Tried to Help Schools Build Healthier Playgrounds. Then Her E.P.A. Grant Was Canceled.
Kirsten Beyer was assessing the benefits of improving school playgrounds in Milwaukee. Then her E.P.A. grant was canceled.
NYT > Science · 4 days ago
Your Kids Asked the Artemis Astronauts Questions. They Answered.
The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission discussed what the journey was like and what they ate for dessert in space.
NYT > Science · 4 days ago